Harding Baseball Hosts Season-Opening Series vs. No. 11 St. Edward's

Harding Baseball (0-0) vs. No. 11 St. Edward's (0-0)
Jan. 30, 2016 – DH – Noon – Jerry Moore Field
Jan. 31, 2016 – 1 p.m. – Jerry Moore Field

HOW TO FOLLOW
Internet:
   Video: www.HardingSports.com - ***Sunday Only***
    Live Stats: www.HardingSports.com

THE COACHES
Dr. Patrick McGaha, Harding
   at Harding: 289-232 (11th season)
   Career: 408-324 (15th season)
   vs. St. Edward's: 1-2
Rob Penders, St. Edward's
   at SEU: 339-162 (10th season)
   Career: same

THE SERIES
Series Record: St. Edward's leads 2-1 … the teams played a three-game series in Austin, Texas in 2006.

HARDING'S PROBABLE STARTING PITCHERS
Andrew Fiddler (SR, RHP) – 6-3, 2.78 ERA in 2015
Hunter Payne (SR, RHP) – 2-3, 3.20 ERA
Andrew Ralston (SR, RHP) – 2-3, 5.49 ERA

WATCH TO WATCH FOR
Harding will open the season with this three-game series against 11th-ranked St. Edward's, an NCAA Division II team from Austin, Texas, and a member of the Heartland Conference. The Bisons played five games against nationally-ranked teams last season and won all five. With one victory in the series, Harding coach Patrick McGaha will earn his 290th win and move past Dick Johnson as the Bisons' winningest baseball head coach. St. Edward's has won the last two Heartland Conference regular-season championships and the last three conference tournaments. The Hilltoppers were 40-13 last season and made their fourth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament.

KEY STAT
Harding led NCAA Division II in fielding percentage last season at .977. St. Edward's was second among Heartland teams with a .965 fielding percentage.

PLAYERS TO WATCH
Harding senior catcher Davis Richardson received preseason All-Central Region honors earlier this week. Last season, Richardson led Harding with a .325 average, eight home runs and 37 RBIs.

St. Edward's senior pitcher Collin Sherrod is a preseason All-American after posting an 8-1 record and 2.73 ERA last season. A resident of Garland, Texas, Sherrod had 99 strikeouts in 108 2/3 innings.

FACTS AND FIGURES
Harding led the Great American Conference last season with 47 double plays turned … Bison pitchers led the GAC with five shutouts last season … Harding was hit by a pitch 72 times last season, most in the GAC and 17th in Division II … St. Edward's allowed only 2.7 walks per nine innings last season, 15th in NCAA II … St. Edward's was one of the top scoring teams in Division II last season with 7.1 runs per game, Harding averaged 5.0.

UP NEXT
Harding plays a three-game series on Feb. 6-7 at Delta State.
St. Edward's plays three games at the West Texas A&M Tournament on Feb. 5-7 in Canyon, Texas.

Print Friendly Version

Players Mentioned

#12 Andrew Fiddler: P; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; R/R

#30 Hunter Payne: P; 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior; R/R

#32 Andrew Ralston: P; 6' 3"; Senior; R/R

#20 Davis Richardson: C; 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; S/R

Players Mentioned

#12 Andrew Fiddler
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; R/R
: P

#30 Hunter Payne
: 6' 0"; Redshirt Senior; R/R
: P

#32 Andrew Ralston
: 6' 3"; Senior; R/R
: P

#20 Davis Richardson
: 6' 2"; Redshirt Senior; S/R
: C